A Simulator Study of Pilots' Monitoring Strategies and Performance on Modern Glass Cockpit Aircraft

Abstract

Monitoring failures are widely assumed to be responsible for breakdowns in pilot-automation coordination; however, only limited subjective and anecdotal data are available on the monitoring behavior of flight crews on glass cockpit aircraft. This study is the first to collect and relate both performance and eye-tracking data from pilots who flew a challenging scenario in a high-fidelity modern aircraft simulator. Twenty B-747-400 line pilots were recruited from two major U.S. airlines and were given a one-hour scenario that was designed specifically to assess pilots' use and monitoring of the automation. The findings from this study confirm that pilots experience considerable difficulties with tracking the status and behavior of the automation on modern glass cockpit aircraft. They appear to monitor flight mode annunciations to a much lesser extent and at a more superficial level than intended and expected by designers and training departments. Possible ways of supporting pilots more effectively through improved automation feedback and training are discussed.